


A Letter Home

by miss_slipslop



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Gen, Letters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:20:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_slipslop/pseuds/miss_slipslop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ainsley writes a letter home to her parents. S2, around the episode And It's Surely To Their Credit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Letter Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isquinnabel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isquinnabel/gifts).



> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! <3

Dear Mama and Daddy, 

 

It’s very late at night in Washington, and I’m writing this in my new office. Which on the plus side, is at least in the West Wing? I guess you have to start somewhere, even if it is a boiler room converted into an office, that’s either freezing cold or super hot. But I digress. Don’t worry about me. As long as there are cupcakes and Fresca in the cafeteria, I will be fine. 

 

I never thought that this is how I’d end up in the White House. Certainly not the administration I thought I’d end up working for. If you told me six months ago that I’d be working for Bartlet, I would have called that person a lunatic and told them to get out of my office. Who passes up this kind of job though? Hopefully, my voice will add a little bit of sanity amid those bleeding heart idealists. 

 

I know this might shock you, but they’re not all bad. I haven’t met the President yet, but I’ve met almost all the staff that work with him. My initial reception was lukewarm, to put it lightly, but there’s always those people who are able to go above petty things and just act decent. There’s one staffer in particular--his name’s Sam and he’s the Deputy Communications Director--that despite being a moron in his political views, is very sweet. A bit like a puppy, actually. It’s a shame that he’s such a Democrat, because otherwise, I could almost take him home. Let’s just say that he’s very dashing, and we had a nice conversation about sailing in the lunch line the other day. I also enjoy regularly beating him in debates and showing him what Southern girls are truly made of. 

 

Sam also loves Gilbert and Sullivan, as does the Chief of Staff, which is further proof that the Bartlet White House isn’t all bad. It was actually really sweet (yes, I guess Democrats can be sweet, as long as they aren’t plotting to take our guns away)--my first week was kind of rough, so one night, some of the staff surprised me in my office to sing “He is an Englishman.” I have a feeling Sam was behind it, since he also told off some rather rude staffers on my behalf, so I was grateful. It also seems like things are looking up in general. Of course, I will never be anyone’s biggest fan, but it’s good to know that I at least have some people on my side. Besides, I’m smart, capable, and they need me.

 

I hope that things are good at home. I can’t wait to be back for Christmas. Of course I love Washington, but there are some things that you can’t get here. People with good political sense, for one thing, but there’s also a disturbing lack of good sweet tea and red velvet cake. I have managed to find a place that serves good fried chicken and waffles though, which  is a huge relief. Anyways, it’s also getting cold here already, which should be illegal, so I’m counting down the days when I’m back in the balmy Carolina air. 

 

Well, I should probably get back to work. There’s still a huge stack of briefing memos that I need to get through. There’s no such thing as a slow day here, really. I’m aiming to get home by midnight, and back again by seven. Don’t worry, I catch up on sleep on the weekends. Besides, this is sane. There are some people that stay until three. I also head an amusing story about how once, the President kept one of his staffers here until five in the morning, rambling about National Parks because the staffer sassed him. I know, we all find Bartlet an idiot on some things, but you have to admit that’s humorous. 

 

It really isn’t a dull place to work either. All of the staff is very much like a family, so they have a million little inside jokes and funny stories about each other. It’s not uncommon to see Sam and Josh (the Deputy Chief of Staff) high fiving each other and gloating about their brilliant work (though I would say it’s really not that brilliant), or to hear them all yelling ridiculous nicknames at each other. They all work hard too, and even though I don’t agree with their politics, at least they know what they stand for? I like seeing that, and I like knowing that maybe, I could be part of it (their weird little family) someday, even if I never will wear a Bartlet for America button (Sam says he will convert me, but I just tell him that’s an adorable notion). 

 

...Now I really am rambling again, so I should close this for real. I love and miss you both very much, and will try to write again soon. Give my love to the rest of the family, and everyone in town. Be assured that yes, I am happy and sleeping enough and all of that. 

 

Lots of Love, 

 

Ainsley xo 


End file.
